Loni Ann, Cynthia, Lauren, Cheryl, and Sara seemed to have it all - beauty, wealth, children, and a husband who they believed to be this perfect man - Brad Cunningham. He was handsome, charismatic, and mysterious. They adored him and tried to give him all he wanted. But he wanted everything: sex, money, and it seemed, their very lives. How long would it take before he finally got what he deserved?

Too Late to Say Goodbye

Jenn Corbin appeared to have it all: two dear little boys, a posh home in one of the upscale suburbs of Atlanta, expensive cars, a plush houseboat, and a husband - Dr. Bart Corbin, a successful dentist - who was tall, handsome, and brilliant. But gradually, their seemingly idyllic life together began to crumble. Bart was distraught and Jenn seemed disenchanted. Then, just a few weeks before Christmas 2004, Jenn was found dead with a bullet in her head, an apparent suicide....

Before He Wakes: A True Story of Money, Marriage, Sex and Murder

The true story of Barbara Stager, a devoted mother, loving wife, and dedicated church leader who committed an almost perfect crime. By all accounts, Stager seemed to lead the perfect life in her community in Durham, North Carolina. After her husband, popular high school coach Russ, died tragically, the police were inclined to believe her story - that she accidentally shot him. Suspicions rose when the police discovered that Stager's previous husband had died similarly 10 years prior.

Green River, Running Red

In the most extraordinary journey Ann Rule has ever undertaken, America's master of true crime has spent more than two decades researching the story of the Green River Killer, who murdered more than 49 young women. Green River, Running Red is a harrowing account of a modern monster, a killer who walked among us undetected. It is also the story of his quarry -- of who these young women were and who they might have become.

Bitter Blood: A True Story of Southern Family Pride, Madness, and Multiple Murder

In this unrelenting real-life drama of three wealthy families connected by marriage and murder, Bledsoe recounts the shocking events, obsessive love, and bitter custody battles that led toward the bloody climax that took nine lives.

In the Still of the Night

From true crime legend Ann Rules comes this riveting story of a young woman whose life ended too soon - and a determined mother’s crusade to clear her daughter’s name. Barb Thompson never for one moment believed her daughter committed suicide.

Once Upon A Time, A True Story of Memory, Murder and the Law

In 1989, Eileen Franklin, a young California housewife, claimed to recover a repressed memory of her father killing her playmate 20 years earlier. In a landmark trial, the father was charged and convicted of first-degree murder, based solely on his daughter's testimony. This book chronicles the trial, explores the remarkably dysfunctional Franklin family and delves into the credibility of repressed memories as evidence....

A Fever in the Heart: And Other True Cases: Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 3

A Fever in the Heart dissects an explosive triangle that led to obsession and murder in a small town in the northwest of America. Ann Rule reveals the story of an alluring wife and the two men desperate for her love; a story with a bizarre and deadly twist that no one could have suspected. In this and several other riveting true-crime cases from her personal files, Ann Rule masterfully probes the delusions of the criminal mind, the fateful circumstances and the unrelenting investigative forces at work in the aftermath of murder.

A Rose for Her Grave - and Other True Cases: Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 1

"A Rose for Her Grave" - the principal story of this collection - vividly recreates the cautionary tale of Randy Roth, a misogynistic sociopath from the Pacific Northwest whose rage was directed primarily at women and children. Addicted to his own greed, Roth exercised a powerful aura of control over his victims, using his ability to charm and boyish good looks to lower their defenses. By the time they saw the reality of the madness in his eyes, it was usually too late.

Mortal Danger: And Other True Cases

Only Ann Rule, who unknowingly worked alongside the smart and charming Ted Bundy - America's most notorious serial killer - could lend her razor-sharp insight into these cases of the spouse, lover, family member, or helpful stranger who is totally trusted but whose lethally violent nature, though masterfully disguised, can and will kill.

Ann Rule presents her 8th collection of crime stories drawn from her private files - and featuring the riveting case of a fraudulent doctor whose lifelong deceptions had deadly consequences. Dr. Anthony Pignataro was a cosmetic surgeon and a famed medical researcher whose flashy red Lamborghini and flamboyant lifestyle in western New York State suggested a highly successful career. But no one was safe if they got in his way. With scalpel, drugs, and arsenic, he betrayed every oath a physician makes - until his own schemes backfired.

America's #1 true-crime writer reveals how lovers become predators, how sex and lust can push ordinary people to desperate acts, and how investigators and forensics experts work to unravel the most entangled crimes of passion. Extracting behind-the-scenes details, Ann Rule makes these volatile relationships utterly real, and masterfully re-creates the ill-fated chains of events in cases like the ex-Marine and martial arts master who seduced vulnerable women and destroyed their lives, the killer whose calling card was a red rose, and more.

You Belong to Me: And Other True Cases: Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 2

A former Seattle policewoman, Ann Rule has extensive experience of violent crime and brings this knowledge to bear in this collection of fascinating case studies. You Belong to Me focuses on one of Florida's most shocking criminals - Tim Harris, the poster-perfect 'All-American' State Trooper who hid bizarre and fatal fantasies behind his badge of authority.

Empty Promises: And Other True Cases

Expertly analyzing a shocking, headline-making case, Rule unmasks the deadly motives inside a seemingly idyllic marriage: a beautiful young wife, a rising star in America's top-ranked computer corporation, and a prosperous husband, the scion of a family building business.

Blood Games: A True Account of Family Murder

A true story detailing the events surrounding the murder of wealthy North Carolinian Lieth von Stein. The case seemed cold until police followed a trail leading to von Stein's stepson, a smart young man who was obsessed with Dungeons & Dragons and wrapped up in drugs.

In the Name of Love: And Other True Cases

Jerry Harris was a self-made California millionaire who, at age forty-four, had it all: booming businesses, yachts, a mansion, a beautiful wife, and a voice to rival Elvis. No one who knew this well-liked, generous man could make sense of his sudden disappearance one autumn night. On a final phone call to his brother from his Mercedes, Jerry breathed a muffled oath - then the line went dead. For Jerry's wife, Susan, it was just the beginning of an unwavering, eight-year search for the truth behind her husband's vanishing.

The Stranger Beside Me: The Shocking True Story of Serial Killer Ted Bundy

Ann Rule was working on the biggest story of her career, tracking the trail of victims left by a brutal serial killer. Little did this future best-selling author know that the savage slayer she was hunting was the young man she counted among her closest friends. Everyone's picture of a natural winner, Ted Bundy was a bright, charming, and handsome man with a promising future as an attorney. But on January 24, 1989 Bundy was executed for the murders of three young women - and had confessed to taking the lives of at least thirty-five more women from coast to coast.

It’s a chilling reality that homicide investigators know all too well: The last face most murder victims see is not that of a stranger, but of someone familiar. Whether only an acquaintance or a trusted intimate, such killers share a common trait that triggers the downward spiral toward death for someone close to them: They are masters at hiding who they really are. Their clever masks let them appear safe, kind, and truthful. They are anything but - and almost no one can detect the murderous impulses buried deep in their psyches.

The End of the Dream: The Golden Boy Who Never Grew Up and Other True Cases: Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 5

They were best friends, four talented and charismatic young men who lived charmed lives among the evergreens of Washington state: Kevin, the artist; Steve, the sculptor; Scott, the nature lover and unabashed ladies' man; and Mark, the musician and poet. With their stunning good looks, whip-sharp minds, athletic bodies - and no lack of women who adored them - none of them seemed slated for disaster. But few knew the reality behind the leafy screen that surrounded Seven Cedars, Scott's woodland dream home....

Lying in Wait: Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 17

Three decades ago, Jackie Schut was considered one of the most prolific "baby sellers" in the country. She traveled all over the US, murdered women who had just borne babies, and then stole their infants. She is still imprisoned in the South. A lovely, vibrant woman in San Antonio was found dead in a vacant lot. Her mother, a popular local realtor, never stopped looking for her killer. Just months ago, a truly unlikely suspect was found many states away.

No Regrets: And Other True Cases: Ann Rule's Crime Files, Volume 11

A ship's pilot legendary for guiding mammoth freighters through the narrows of Puget Sound, Rolf Neslund was a proud Norwegian, a ladies' man, and a beloved resident of Washington State's idyllic Lopez Island. Virtually indestructible even into his golden years, he made electrifying headlines more than once: after a ship he was helming crashed into the soaring West Seattle Bridge, causing millions in damages; and following his inexplicable disappearance at age 80. Was he a suicide, a man broken by one costly misstep? Had he run off with a lifelong love? Or did a trail of gruesome evidence lead to the home Rolf shared with his wife, Ruth?

In some murder cases, the truth behind the most tragic of crimes crystallizes with relative ease. Not so with these fascinating accounts drawn from the personal files of Ann Rule. What happens when the case itself becomes an intractable puzzle, when clues are shrouded in smoke and mirrors, and when criminals skillfully evade law enforcement in a maddening cat-and-mouse chase? Even the most devoted true-crime listener won't predict the outcome of these truly baffling cases until the conclusions revealed in Ann Rule's marvelously insightful narrative.

Practice to Deceive

One wintery night on tiny, quiet Whidbey Island off the coast of Washington, Russ Douglas spent Christmas with his estranged wife, Brenna. He left Brenna Douglas's home in Langley on the morning of December 26, 2003 to run some errands. He didn't return - dead of gunshot to the head. The suspects included an aging beauty queen, her guitar-teacher lover, and Russell's widow, Brenna. With her trademark aplomb, Ann Rule unravels the fascinating story of a murder, a small town, and a number of potential killers.

Publisher's Summary

Who is Brad Cunningham? How could five beautiful, intelligent, and successful women believe he was their dream come true? Ask any women who ever longed for "the perfect man".

Loni Ann, Cynthia, Lauren, Cheryl, and Sara seemed to have it all - beauty, wealth, children, and a husband who they believed to be this perfect man - Brad Cunningham. He was handsome, charismatic, and mysterious. They adored him and tried to give him all he wanted. But he wanted everything: sex, money, and it seemed, their very lives. How long would it take before he finally got what he deserved?

This question haunts Dead by Sunset, Ann Rule's riveting and impeccably researched study of the destructive relationships, multiple marriages, financial manipulations, and monstrous acts of harassment and revenge that surrounded Brad Cunningham and his wives. It is also a penetrating - and ultimately shocking - recreation of Cheryl's murder and the eight years it took to bring her killer to justice.

Dead by Sunset is a chilling look at the evil that lurks behind the most charming of facades and a fascinating homage to the kind of courage and brilliance it takes to combat it.

It's a never-ending roller coaster of disbelief in how people behave the way they do, and those trusting enough to allow them to. Ann crafted this story beautifully, a fiction novel can't even compete - in this case, truth IS stranger than fiction.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Absolutely - although I'd seen the movie and knew the story, the book holds so much more detail, contains so many more rich characters, sub-plots and so much history that just can't fit into a movie... If you enjoyed the movie I would HIGHLY recommended this book. You'll bring so much more away, things will make much more sense.

Which scene was your favorite?

Too many to pinpoint.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I think

Any additional comments?

It may be long, but I was never bored. Also, I've read where a couple people didn't care for the narration. I was hesitant to purchase it due to that, but I have thoroughly enjoyed his narration and story telling techniques. I'm so glad I went ahead and purchased it anyway. I thought he did a great job.

Really enjoyed this true crime book. This was my first Ann Rule novel and I was impressed. Ann uses her story telling skills along with her well researched facts to tell a great tale. The narrator was great. On Audible after the initial review, reviews often follow that are similar in content, and I wonder if this is what has happened with reviews regarding the narrator because he does a fabulous job here. Do not be disuaded.

This book has it all - plot, characters, surprises, suspense, rollercoaster of emotions - sadness, horror, sympathy, amazement, incredulity, frustration, anger. In short, the book has everything you could want to keep you interested. I took every opportunity to do something during which I could keep listening. I was a bit taken aback for the first few minutes by Richard Ferrone's narration but after a very short time I loved his voice and his presentation. He's just right for this book.

What made the experience of listening to Dead by Sunset the most enjoyable?

This book was so engrossing! I got a lot done during the many hours I listened to the book; scrubbing, weeding and long dog-walks were my excuse to keep listening until it was done!

Ann Rule's books have been my guilty pleasure for years. I don't really go for true crime books EXCEPT for hers. The level of detail is so fine that I wonder HOW she is able to get so close to the participants in the stories she tells. And she tells the stories with great respect and regard for the victims. She must be a remarkably compassionate and sincere woman.

The story itself is almost unbelievable! If it were fiction, I’d probably toss it aside, thinking it was too far-fetched. How could so many smart, attractive women fall for the likes of Brad Cunningham?!

I’ve read that Ann Rule is not so interested in the “big” stories like Casey Anthony or OJ Simpson; instead she likes to find stories that might not otherwise be told. Thank goodness for that! Casey and OJ stories are ubiquitous; this story, like all of Ann Rule’s stories, is well told, fascinating and might not have been told had Ann Rule not been interested in the case.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I think outrage, fury and frustration would better describe the reactions I had while listening to the book. I wonder, if someone observed me during my dog walks, if it would look as if I were mad at my dogs!

For true crime lovers, this 20 hours journey will take you down the rabbit whole of an intricate web of lies, with manipulations so complex the devil could get lost, but not Brad Cunningham, the most evil misogynistic killer I have ever seen. Great listen....even though I prefer female narrators :)

Dead by Sunset
Like all of “Ann Rule’s” true crime books, this is unput downable
Nothing skipped or left out. For those of us that like to know all the characters and we can look them up on the Web now, it is sheer joy
A full study of a controlling psychopath, one can find this personality in any good psychological pathology book. Are they born? Or are they made so by the parent (in this case Bradley Cunningham’s father)
One of the best narrators around “Richard Ferrone” really brings this book to life

11 of 11 people found this review helpful

sonia

london, United Kingdom

1/30/12

Overall

"excellent!"

I downloaded this onto my i pod and it had me hooked from the start - fantastic, fascinating and so detailed you could just picture each of the characters in this. Brad Morris Cunningham, had all the charm, good looks and gift of being such a master manipulator that the most educated and strongest women fell under his spell. He was such an unpleasant man - his hatred of women showed in every aspect of his behavour, his denial of his Native American heritage, only ever acknowledging it when it suited him (money), his dismissive arrogance with regards to the law was breathtaking and I felt so, so sorry for all of his children to have been burdened with a father like that, but as far as he was concerned that was the normal way to treat women and children were just a commodity he learned that behaviour from his own father and grandfather. Thank goodness for the support of his ex-wife Sara who never stopped loving Cheryl's sons and being there for them and Cheryl's family, friends and colleagues who relentlessly never stopped until justice was done for her and her children also the strength that the ex-wives and partners managed to find to finally stand up to him - Brad Cunningham was evil to the core and is probably still denying to this day that he murdered his wife because he so believes his lies. Prison is too good a place for him.

Loved it, loved it, loved it - Ann Rule does it again but I would really like to know how the Cunningham children are doing now away and free from his tyranny.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

judith

Garstang, United Kingdom

8/16/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"first rate yarn"

This excellent story never loses it's capacity to grip from the first page to the last..At first, I felt vaguely uneasy enjoying a true crime story so much, but it is so well-written and well-read. The research is thorough, but not so much that it becomes boring or tedious. It's definitely worth revisiting. The writer should be very proud of such a thoroughly good book.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

jennifer

alfreton, United Kingdom

7/28/12

Overall

"Dead By Sunset"

This is by far one of the best books i have listened to by far,its gripping,unbelievable,disturbing,i could go on i could not stop listening to this story.
I love true crime,but i do not remember this case,you will find yourself wanting to rip Brad Cunningham's head off,He was a total control freak,the court case is fascinating,its funny and sad i found myself crying,i will google this case now,if you like true crime then please listen to this book.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Jillybuns

5/4/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Exceptional listen!"

I have listened to this twice now & both times found it absolutely riveting! The attention to detail & what can only be described as superb investigative story telling makes this a MUST READ for all lovers of True Crime. Loved it from start to finish.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Danielle Meeajaun

4/14/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Excellent and compelling story"

Incredible story and good narration. Kept me hooked. Unbelievable how one man can cause such chaos and remain completely narcissistic throughout!!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Miss

3/25/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Excellent narrator and ann rule is a great writer"

I enjoy true crime especially those you can research further after reading. Great content as always, thoroughly investigated.The narration was just to my liking and kept me enthralled. What an evil man and totally delusional! I hope Cheryl's children continue to remember their mother and their family continue to support them.I hope he rots. I'm now an official ann rule fan.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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